Volume 2: Winter’s End
Passing by a truck loaded with wood, a sign with the inscription ‘Baiyan Forest Base’ appeared in the field of view. The sign was not horizontally hung but vertically on the right side of the gate. The characters on it were not familiar Chinese characters to Shu Xun but a completely new script. However, perhaps due to the game system, the moment Shu Xun saw the characters on the sign, the words of this world had already merged into his mind, so understanding them was completely unobstructed.
At the same time, the long-lost voice of the game system echoed in Shu Xun’s mind.
“Due to the player’s uniqueness, according to the game treaty, the following special instructions are provided. To ensure the fairness of the game, this explanation only triggers once. Please pay attention to understanding. First, the sources of in-game resources and items are divided into two categories. One is the indigenous resources left behind in the background of this game world. The functionality of these resources is completely consistent with the game background, and players can modify and use them at will. The other category is materials randomly distributed by the game system to the game world. These materials have various universal era attributes and some guidance, but they are rare and limited. Players can modify and use them at will, and these materials become personal property after the final clearance. Players can handle them as they wish.”
Upon hearing this, Shu Xun’s little head quickly spun. Indigenous resources in the game world were not explicitly stated to be taken away after clearance, but it was not denied either. This indicated that under special circumstances, indigenous resources in the game world could also be owned by individuals. As for game system materials, there were probably certain era background restrictions, at least not affecting game balance. So, the basic functions of the two types of materials should not have much difference or gap.
“Second, underage players will trigger language learning ability automatically upon entering the game world. There is no need for self-learning of the game world language. In the game, except for special cases, the game system will not provide any prompt information, including all kinds of rewards. However, the triggered rewards will be announced from the audience’s perspective and distributed to the player’s game end.”
“Third, to ensure the fairness of the game, players cannot voluntarily exit the game after entering until they die or clear the game. The above instructions are triggered only in the case of underage players triggering language learning ability, and it is limited to once. Afterward, the game system will not provide any explanations. Everything is up to the players to explore and understand. We wish you a pleasant gaming experience.”
The system’s voice disappeared once again, and Shu Xun knew that there would be no more external prompts and explanations until his death or successful completion of the game. However, through this seemingly inconsequential set of instructions, Shu Xun gained a lot of information and speculation.
Firstly, the triggering conditions and the sequence of explanations didn’t align. The first instruction was related to materials, indicating the irreplaceable importance of resources in this world. However, Shu Xun keenly noticed that the triggering condition was seeing unfamiliar characters on the game world signboard, not when he discovered the nut resources. This implies something significant— that the characters themselves have a crucial role in providing hints and guidance. Perhaps, the key to clearing the game lies in various textual clues.
The game system’s instructions were undoubtedly carefully arranged by the developers, so there was a certain order of importance in logic and explanation. It was precisely because of this that Shu Xun could discern subtle clues.
Shu Xun, with his chubby hand, gave his hair a little tug, concluding his thoughts. In his bright, dark eyes, there was no hint of fear or hesitation. He glanced at the simple map of the forest distribution next to the gate and, with his short legs, walked towards the forest base.
Even after the little figure disappeared from view, leaving only a trail of small footprints, many people in the audience continued to frantically spam the chat. Accompanied by various excited voice prompts, there were also various gifts that Shu Xun loved, exchangeable for interstellar points.
The two commentators naturally understood the audience’s interests. Although they didn’t have much information about Shu Xun, they cleverly explained the triggered instructions and the attributes of the Baiyan tree, preventing any awkward silence. “Due to the time limit of the player’s perspective in the game, we can’t track a player for a long time. However, with this forest base as a foundation, we can probably see these special footprints in the future…”
Shu Xun’s appearance undoubtedly added another highlight to “Winter’s End,” as seasoned players were well-known and expected. However, the unexpected appearance of such a small player in a high-difficulty survival game took everyone by surprise. This novelty and excitement were something other players couldn’t provide.
Of course, where there is admiration, there is also skepticism. Novelty and cuteness attract a large wave of popularity, but audiences focused on the game don’t necessarily have high expectations for a player who is smaller than a palm. After all, in the gaming world, strength is paramount.
“What high restrictions? A player so small can play games, while those of us without advanced nutrition chambers can only watch, feeling mixed emotions…”
“I bet a starship that he won’t survive tonight because he might not even be able to open the door!”
“Waiting for someone upstairs to spam battleships; the little guy will be a spectacle!”
“So tiny, what’s there to watch? On a windy day, he might just get blown away.”
…
Various comments continued, but overall, negative remarks were only a small part. With the change of scenes, the audience’s attention slowly began to shift.
The scene transitioned from the forest base, and the commentators continued skillfully mobilizing the audience’s enthusiasm. In the game, Shu Xun remained oblivious.
At this point, Shu Xun had reached the first wooden house, a two-story wooden structure indicated as a studio on the simple map board. Apart from that, there was a row of employee dormitories and a staff canteen. The remaining space was a spacious area for wood processing, indicating that this place was not responsible for the deep processing of wood.
The two-story wooden studio covered an area of about a hundred square meters. The building was not particularly exquisite, but it looked sturdy and neat. Using local materials, it was well-supplied. Shu Xun climbed a few wooden steps, stood in front of the door, and tried pushing it. The wooden door silently opened inward.
Surroundings fell into a silent hush as Shu Xun leaned against the door frame, peering inside. The scene inside the room became clear in Shu Xun’s vision. Perhaps due to long-term abandonment, faint dust particles floated in the light, and a fine layer of dust covered the evenly spread floor. The air carried a hint of staleness, accentuated by the biting cold, adding a touch of icy chill to the atmosphere.
Seeing this scene, Shu Xun wasn’t overly surprised. After all, the probability of people still living here after the disaster was incredibly low. The chance of finding local residents was almost zero. However, since discovering this forest base, there has been a subtle sense of dissonance that lingered.
Carefully crossing the threshold, Shu Xun gingerly stepped onto the wooden floor covered in a thin layer of dust. He thought he was entering quietly, but a string of small footprints was left behind.
The room appeared unusually empty. Shu Xun wasn’t in a hurry to search for supplies; instead, he chose to roughly inspect the room. Passing the living room, the kitchen and dining area were on the left. Shu Xun agilely climbed up, stood on the table, and looked at the abundant food on the wooden table. Despite the low temperature, the food had already decayed. On the table were two sets of bowls and chopsticks—one bowl was empty, while the other was still filled with food.
After circling the dining table and finding no clues, Shu Xun discovered a sealed can of canned beverage. Stepping on the top of the can, he grasped the pull tab with both hands and pulled it upward.
With a slight clicking sound, the canned beverage opened. Shu Xun inserted the straw into the can and eagerly started drinking.
The beverage had a peach flavor, and it tasted excellent. Shu Xun drank nearly a third before stopping, patting his slightly bulging belly while sitting on the can, then climbed down, satisfied.
Having temporarily quenched his thirst, Shu Xun no longer felt rushed. He explored the ground floor, familiarizing himself with the room layout, and then ascended the wooden stairs to the second floor.
The second floor remained silent, without a trace of human activity. As time passed, the outside sky gradually darkened. The already dim interior became even hazier. Shu Xun pushed open one of the room doors, and in the light streaming through the window, he could see it was a bedroom.
Upon seeing the raised blanket on the big bed, Shu Xun took a light breath. After staring for a moment, he noticed the raised blanket had no signs of movement. Shu Xun circled the wooden table next to the bed, climbed up, and realized there was no one on the large bed. However, the blanket presented an odd bulging state, as if someone had been sleeping there but vanished into thin air.
On the low cabinet beside the bed, there was a water glass with about half a cup of clear water in it, likely what the room’s occupant had drunk before going to sleep.
Shu Xun, tugging at his hair, contemplated while circling the wooden table. He tried to identify any anomalies in what he had discovered so far, attempting to deduce some clues.
The game “Winter’s End” didn’t provide players with hints for completion. Apart from the goal of surviving, there were no explicit mission directions, indicating that players needed to explore on their own. From the current perspective, it seemed that the prerequisite for completing this game was understanding what had happened in this modern technological era, providing a direction for further progress.
Shu Xun slowly recalled his progress, from discovering the forest base to the truck parked in front of the gate, the prepared meals in this studio, and the half-filled glass of water left on the bedside—all suggesting that the staff in this house had no intention of leaving. Winter likely arrived suddenly. The question was, where did the people living here go?
The sun quickly set, and it seemed that every dusk in this world hastened the footsteps into darkness. With the disappearance of the last trace of light, the biting cold became even more unrestrained. Outside the window, there was an unusual calmness, though the dry cold temperature still discouraged venturing into the wilderness.
With no fruitful conclusions from his contemplation, Shu Xun abandoned his speculations. The surroundings had become blurry, and Shu Xun couldn’t continue exploring. He climbed down from the wooden table, then, following the increasingly dark contours, climbed onto the big bed. Finding a spot at the foot of the bed, he covered himself with a corner of the blanket and slowly drifted into sleep.
The restrictions in this game world were strict, leading to a significant weakening of some of Shu Xun’s abilities, including night vision. This setting aimed to balance the game against the powerful physical and mental capabilities of various major races. The partial weakening maintained game balance and avoided causing too much impact on the world where the game’s background was set. In the current state, Shu Xun’s ability to see things in the dark is extremely limited if there is no light.
